What If?
by dragonheartt
Summary: Short Primeval ficlets in which certain cannon events happen somewhat differently... Mostly Conabby-themed episode ficlets. note: Chapter 2 is more out-of-cannon than the others. Set: various seasons/episodes.
1. Chapter 1: Raptors

Disclaimer: Whether or not I remember to write it I most assuredly don't own Primeval and this is only for free fan enjoyment! :3

* * *

"Abby,"

"What?"

"Close the shutter!"

"Okay!"

Connor started running as the Raptor's scales bristled and it started coming towards him. He ran as fast as he could, desperately trying to reach the shutter before it closed. He looked back over his shoulder and threw the slushie at the Raptor. It bounced off of its head and gave him a little more time to get to safety.

"Hurry Connor!"

But not enough. He saw Abby's shocked face throguh the last few inches of opening in the shutter, and knew he wasn't going to make it through there.

"Connor!" She yelled, as the metal clanged to a stop against the floor, efectively trapping him with a very angry Raptor.

"No!" Connor slid to a halt, only a few inches from the shutter, and stared at it. He heard the laughter-like cals of the Raptor and slowly turned around, eyes wide. It had slowed, and now approached menacingly, a step at a time, tilting its head at him. He did his best to look as unappealing as possible. Maybe if he played dead it would leave him alone? No, raptors would eat nearly anything, including fallen comrades. And they were smart, for Cretaceous era Therapods.

He edged slowly away from it again, towards the wall perpendicular to his now cut-off exit. If he could just get around it...

The Raptor launched itself at him again, and Connor bolted once more, running past it and in the opposite direction. Despite nearly touching him as he passed, the Raptor was still in motion and had to stop and turn around to give chase, which gave Connor more time to get away. He pushed himself to run faster, ignoring the strain in his muscles, and tore down the hallway. If he was correct, there was another exit to this section of the mall, and Cutter and the others would probably head that way to try and contain the Therapod currently on his - metaphorically speaking -tail.

He was counting on that, really.

At the end of the hall was an escalator, and Connor turned and started running down it. The Raptor let out another cackle-like call that sounded to him a bit like an evil Dolphin with a throat infection, but that was off-topic completely. He skipped the last three steps and staggered as he landed, then caught his balance and took off running again, regardless of whether or not the Raptor was still chasing him at this point. He bloody well couldn't stop and check behind him - see how well that had gone last time!

Connor took note of the Quasar-Tron, hoping to find the entrance to the game open. He got near and realized it was closed, and switched directions again, heading for the underside of another escalator to hide. He hear the Raptor call once more but it wasn't as close as before, he thought. He hoped it hadn't seen his change of direction and current hiding place. Finally in relative safety Connor was able to pause and look for the creature hunting him. The Raptor was only just now making its way down the escalator, looking surprised at the moving surface beneath its feet. When it got nearer to the floor the Raptor leapt off of it more succesfully than Connor had, and ran - thankfully - towards the Quasar-Tron game. Smelling Connor's scent near the door, apparently, it crashed through and entered the space within.

"Whew." He breathed in relief, and sank to the floor. Connor winced as the slushie he'd sip-stolen before caught up to him with brain freeze. "Agh."

He wondered where the others were - and that's when he saw the Professor and Stephen coming otwards the Quasar-Tron from another direction. They seemed a bit sad, and he wondered why... oh, right! They thoguht he was dead.

"Hey! Professor! Stephen! 'M over 'ere! I'm okay!" He called out, scrambling to his feet and heading over to them. They turned in surprise, smiling, and he was given one-armed hugs from each of them.

"Glad ta see you okay, Connor, but next time, don't wander off, yeah?" Cutter said with a chuckle.

"Yup... um... Where's Abby?"

"She didn't want to stay, but we convinced her the best thing to do would be to finish the job. Then we ran into a some guy, a cleaning bloke, and She volunteered to get him out of here."

"Oh." He said quietly.

"She was really upset, Connor. You'd best go find her, okay? Don't want Abby taking any risks because she thinks you've been eaten by the Raptor."

"Yeah... Alright, have fun raptor-hunting guys!" Connor said with a smile, turning and walking away.

* * *

He found her outside a locker room with the man, both peeking in the door. She held Cutter's gun in her hands but didn't seem keen on entering.

"Abby!" He called her name as he approached. At first she didn't look around. Maybe she thought she was imagining his voice?

"Abigail Maitland, don't you know not to give up?" He said, a cheeky grin on his face. She slowly turned around, eyes wide with shock. Then she leapt at him, and he wrapped his arms around her by reflex more than anything else. She had him in a surprisingly big hug for such a small person, but he was just happy she was this pleased to see him.

"Oh my gosh, you're alive! I thought..." She said, looking at him with a mix of emotions on her face: relief, shock,confusion, happiness. Connor's grin slipped a little bit.

"So did I, actually - thought I was a gonner, didn't I? But I'm smarter than a Raptor, y' know." He replied.

"I wouldn't have doubted that, just how fast you are." She answered with a grin, her blue eys twinling with amusement.

"Oi!" He said with a laugh. The Cleaning man looked on, confused.

"Uhm..." Abby said softly, then released him, the signal he now knew meant he should stop holding her. Her hugs were so perfect though... but really, friends was great. Yup. Of course she, as his best mate, would be upset if he died. There was no more to it than that, really.

"Anyways... What're we doin' 'ere?" Connor asked, loking between Abby and the other man.

"I need to get somethin'." The guy, a muscular-looking guy in a red janitor's outfit said shortly, still utterly confused.

"He said it can't wait, so I decided to humor him, then show him the door." Abby told Connor, shrugging.

"Sounds like a plan... Abby? Can I have the gun?" He asked in a pleading tone, keen as ever at holding the weapon. And just like that, it was a normal day at work once more for Connor Temple.


	2. Chapter 2: Cliffhangers

He could feel her hand slipping through his, as his grip on her hand slowly but surely weakened. His shoulder burned and his eyes stung but he was_ not_ letting her go!

" I'm pulling you over Connor! Just leave me!" Abby told him, desperation in her tone. She didn't want him to die for her.

"No, I'm not letting you go - I've lost you once Abby, I'm not losing you again! We can do this!" It hurt but he held on to her hand, because she was the most important thing to him, even beyond his own life.

"There's no point in us both dying!" She tried to convince him, gripping his hand tightly. "Just let me go." She said slowly, letting each word sink in. He couldn't! He would never let her fall!"

"I can't!"

"Please." She was sobbing now, but he knew how he felt at this moment for sure. Desperation and anguish may have forced the words, but they were true:

"I love you!" Connor yelled. She stopped crying for a moment - Abby seemed... He didn't have enough time to think about her reaction, just that he needed to find the strength somewhere to save her. He would always save her if she needed him, and even if she was pulling him over the cliff with her, he wouldn't give up. He reached back with on hand to get a grip on the rock behind him, and tried to hold on, to pull Abby up.

"And I am _not_ leaving you here!" He added, meeting her beautiful blue eyes. He was getting weaker and so was she. He knew it was only a matter of a few seconds before he couldn't hold on any longer. The main question would be whether he let go of the rock or Abby. Connor knew the answer before he'd even thought of the choices. There was only one choice, if he wasn't strong enough, then he _would_ die with her.

"No!" He grunted as he felt her hand slide, grabbing on tightly. He knew it hurt her - he was barely holding onto her, and it happened to be most of her weight was supported by her thumb. He let go with the hand on the rock behind him, gripping with the rest of his body so he could lean down to try and grab her other arm without going right over. She flailed for purchase and there! He now had a hold of both of her hands!

"I've got you Abbs, an' I'm not going to let go." He said softly, straining again. A few breathless seconds latter and somehow - they were safe. Safe-ish. He'd managed to pull Abby to safety, and he was holding onto her as tightly as she was to him. But there were Mer all around, and they were still in danger.

Luckily Stephen and Cutter showed up – where had they been this whole time, anyway? – with guns, and Connor and Abby could just stay there for a few moments, catching their breaths and just being together. Connor reluctantly loosened his hold on her eventually, reminded of the hug after the Mosasaur incident, but Abby clung to him even tighter. Reminded him more of that time at the Mall with the Raptors... Usually she was the strong one, never frightened. But she had a vulnerable side as well and he had seen it a very few times. If she thought that made her weak, she was wrong, because it just strengthened his love for her, when he knew the true depth there was to Abby. Soon enough the problem of the Mer was dealt with and it was time to go back, the two weary friends stumbling out of the Anomaly.

"Abbs..." Connor said softly, as they walked, his arm around her shoulders as they shuffled their way along.

"I thought we were going to die." She blurted suddenly, and they stopped moving.

"We didn't." He told her, reassuringly. She blinked slowly at him, and he gently rubbed her back. It was mostly silence until they got to the Flat.

* * *

It was then that Abby brought up the one question he had no idea how to answer now that neither one of them was in mortal peril.

"Back there... on the other side of the anomaly... you said something."

_WhatdoIdowhatdoIdo?_ He had absolutely no idea. He was dating Caroline, but he loved Abby. Until now he'd really been ok being just friends, and he knew Abby didn't feel the same way he did. Or at least, he thought he knew how she felt. There was too much risk involved, telling the truth. He tried to deny it, but there was that look in her mascara-streaked, emotional eyes. He knew it was in his eyes as well. (Though he obviously wasn't wearing makeup, haha.)

"I said... I love you." He admitted, blushing in embarrassment. He drooped when she didn't respond right away. "I'm sorry, I know you don't feel tha' way, but I can't 'elp how I feel about you Abby. If..." He swallowed. "If you prefer I can move out...?" It would be awkward if he stayed, surely.

She blinked in surprise and raised an eyebrow, walking up the short flight of steps to be on level with him.

"Why should you do that Conn?"

"I... You..."

"I love you too Connor." She told him very seriously, though he saw a twinkle in her eyes and was puzzled, despite the fact that his heart soared at her words.

"Would you just stop staring and kiss me Connor?" That was all the invitation he needed to lean closer, though he was still unsure, and Abby was the one who kissed him. Connor sighed into the kiss, the two of them utterly happy that they were alive, and together, and that the confusion was out of the way.

Now if only Caroline hadn't walked in at that moment and broke the kiss, everything would've been perfect.


	3. Chapter 3: Alternative

He'd never been afraid of the water. Not until now; Connor had always loved to go swimming, when he had a chance to. But there was a huge difference between choosing to swim and being dragged out of a boat and under water. He wasn't even sure how he'd managed to not drown. He'd felt two fin-like arms wrap around his waist and screamed as it pulled him out of the boat backwards, somehow getting enough air in his lungs to survive the who-knows-how-long trip beneath the surface of the water.

It was one of the most terrifying experiences he'd ever been through.

"Help!" It was the first thing he could think to call as the Mer-creature let go of him and he bobbed to the surface. He choked on the water he'd accidentally breathed in, reaching up and clinging to the links of metal that caged him in.

"No! Help! Anyone!" He _really_ wanted out of here! Oh bloody hell…. The others probably thought he was dead!

"Abby… " He murmured. Of course things got a bit more complicated once Lucien spoke up. He'd had to be strong for the kid, even if he had a sickening, hopeless feeling in his gut.

"My friends, they're gonna find us, I promise. We just need to keep trying! Okay?"

"Okay…" Lucien responded, joining him in calling out for help and banging on the metal.

* * *

He'd thought that being pulled out of the boat had been terrifying? Connor knew this was worse. He'd told Lucien again they were going to be okay, tried to convince Lucien it was going to be okay. They weren't scared. Oh, but he was frightened too, though he couldn't tell Lucien that.

"Ahh!" This time Connor could feel he'd definately inhaled water: the Mer creature just grabbed his legs and yanked him under, and though he fought to get away, it still dragged him down and deeper once more. He let out furious bubbles, trying to get to the surface, to air. After a little while, his vision was getting blurry and his lungs ached, burning when he couldn't exhale the water in them, nor get a breath of oxygen. He started to panic…

And the creature pulled him right out of the water. It jumped out with him in its grasp onto the floor, and dropped him there. He lay unmoving, stunned, and coughed, choking and spluttering to clear his burning lungs and gasped to fill them with precious air.

Connor Temple could only say this was a good day because Abby came to his rescue. He may have argued with her and said mean things, but she hadn't given up on him.

The fact that she'd been taken through the anomaly and he'd had to rescue her was another story.

The undeniable fact that he'd then told Abby he loved her – and later managed to deny it – was also another story. Thank goodness Cutter and Stephen had shown up to help him, or he and Abby really would've ended up dead. He'd sworn he wouldn't give up, because she hadn't given up either. All's well that ends well, right? Sort of?


	4. Chapter 4: Rescue

Connor Temple opened the refrigerator, curious, and found it empty but for an equally empty glass bottle. Jenny had gone upstairs and Abby was exploring the house as well. He wasn't too worried - Connor was a bit skeptical. And then Abby screamed his name and he hung up the phone he'd just answered. He ran down the hall and into the room the sound of her voice had come from.

"Abby!"He yelled as he stomped down the hallway of the house.

It was a livingroom space, large and sunlit. It was actually quite nice, for an apparently abandoned house.

"Abby?" Connor called. She didn't answer, and he felt a chill run up his spine despite the warmth and light coming in through the window that had nothing to do with being cold. He called her name again, a little louder this time. Still no answer.

As he looked around, Connor heard a rusting from the direction of the fireplace. He approached cautiously, hearing something moving in the chimney. He shuffled closer, and then, suddenly, two eyes were glaring at him out of the darkness of the fireplace. The body was camouflaged to be practically invisible, but that was all he had time to register before it leapt at him.

"Ahh!" He fell backwards, crashing to the floor, and grunted as his back hit the hard wood surface. The creature uncamouflaged then and he tried to fight it off, fearful of the hissing, screaching thing of claws and teeth that reminded him a little bit of Gollum from Lord of the Rings.

"Connor!" He was too busy trying to stop the creature from slashing at his chest - he had a number of bleeding cuts on his arms and holes in his shirts from the rending claws of the creature - but Connor recognized that voice anywhere.

"A little help, Abbs?" He said in relief. He'd thought it had gotten her, too!

"Get away from him!" He needn't have asked - Abby was already defending him from it - a fire poker in her hands that she was using to drive the beast away from him.

It hissed shrilly again and Connor was a second slow in blocking - he gasped in pain as its claws tore through cloth and dug into the skin of his chest, breaking through flesh and drawing blood. Abby froze, but Jenny had entered the room now, as fiery as Abby in her defense of their team member (though he liked to think Abby liked him as more than a friend, but that was neither here nor there) and the two of them advanced on the gremlin-thing. It hissed once more and then seemed to vanish, though they could see by things tossed out of its way that the creature had left the room.

Jenny went to chase it but Abby called her attention to Connor. "Leave it for now - the tranquiliser guns are in the car, and Connor's hurt!"

"You're right, of course. The best plan of action would be to take care of you first, Connor."

"I'm fine, guys." He lied, attempting to get up from the floor on his own. He put a hand to the spot it had slashed at: his hand came away a dark, vivid red.

"You're bleeding out, Connor! How is that fine?" Jenny exclaimed. She sounded impatient and worried in equal parts, which wasn't too unusual when it came to him and getting injured. He usually tried to pretend it wasn't as bad as it actually was - and he didn't really know why. (Actually, it was becaues he wanted ot impress Abby, but that was alos not important at the moment.)

He bit his lip and sat back down, feeling a little dizzy. Bumping his head so it bled a little was one thing - this was a deeper wound than he'd thought. Abby thought quickly, but despite how bad it looked, thankfully it wasn't life-threatening.

"You're going to be okay." She said, relief clear in her tone. He looked at her, dark eyes wide. "Don't worry, it's not as bad as it feels, but you shouldn't stand up on your own." Abby told him sternly.

" But we should get the first aid kit from the car and get a large plaster and some antibiotic on that." Jenny added. Connor nodded mutely and the two of them helped him up.

* * *

They sat him on the back seat of the car with the door open, peeled off his layers, and Abby was patching him up whilst Jenny was told off by a guy called Detective Constable Quinn who'd shown up on the scene minutes after Connor was attacked.

"Ehm, Abby?..." He asked, trying to ignore that Abby was touching his bare skin as she applied the medicine to the wound. He knew his cheeks were a little flushed and she hadn't met his eyes. She was very, very close. He forced hismelf to think objectively for the moment.

"Yes Connor?" She sounded a little distracted, which was understandable. There were 3 parallel slashes, each one deeper at the middle and shallower at the ends, and they were between 3 and 6 inches long each. The wounds continued to bleed even after Abby cleaned them with an antiseptic, and cleaning them out with it was almost as painful as being clawed again, though Connor did his best not to seem like a baby - he stopped himself from crying out as the hydrogen peroxide bubbled. It meant there was dirt - or an infection. He gave hismelf a mental shake fro mworrying about that - she would've told him if she was worried. That wasn't what he wanted to know.

"Why did you scream if you weren't in trouble?" She froze and moved back to look at him. She was biting her lip, and he looked at her, confused.

"I was trying to scare you - it worked a little too well."

"I wasn't scared." He told her, clearly a lie. She broke a smile for the first time since he'd been injured. "Maybe a little. I thought you were in trouble, dinn' I?"

"And you came to rescue me." He nodded; their eyes were locked on one another for a moment, and then it was broken, with embarassment they looked away. But she came closer again, a hand on his cheek.

"Yes. I guess I did" He said softly, unsure.

"Thank you." Abby told him sincerely, and then...

She kissed his cheek. He wasn't really dissapointed - in fact he was a little stunned, and then a smile crept onto his face. Abby cleared her throat and even though she went back to patching him up - she had a grin on her face that matched his. He felt a little hope, for everything.


	5. Chapter 5: Dinosaur Bandages

The rose-colored, sun-warmed room was empty but for some plastic-covered, folded furniture, and Connor Temple. He turned in a slow circle, heart beating quickly. Abby had screamed his name, and he was so sure her voice had come from this room. But she was nowhere to be found.

"Abbs?" He called, worried. She didn't answer, but as he turned around again, away from the fireplace, he suddenly heard little skittering sounds from behind him. Connor whipped around and slowly edged towards the fireplace, tense.

"Abby!" He hissed her name, bending a little to look. Whatever had made noise before skittered what sounded like claws in the chimney once more, and he heard a wordless hissing and snarling. Abby didn't answer, and he was even more worried for her. She was really in trouble, and he had to find her. A blur whipped past him, and Connor jerked away, scrambling backwards from the fireplace.

He took a deep breath and calmed himself, as nothing leapt otu to attack him, and that's when he thought he heard someone sayign something.

"Hullo?"

"I'm here!" Abby's voice was weak, but he heard her.

"Where are ya?" He looked around, a little bit confused, and a great deal worried about her.

"Behind the couch." She said softly, and he quickly ran to her. She was lying, skin much paler than normal, against the back of the plastic-wrapped couch in the center of the room, and he sank down next to her.

"Are you alrigh' Abbs?"

"That creature attacked me." She breathed. He realized her hand was pressing against her shoulder, where blood was seeping through a tear in her clothes. "I'm okay Connor" Abby told him, unconvincingly.

"Oh my... I'm gettin' you outa 'ere, the creature c'n wait." He told her, gathering Abby in his arms and standing up.

"Where's Jenny?" Abby asked, eyes slightly unfocused.

"I dunno, jus'... I've go' ta get you out to th' car where you'll be safe." Connor told her, voice strained. She nodded and kept pressure on her shoulder. Luckily Jenny had heard her scream and ran down the stairs just as they were heading towards the doors.

"Oh! Connor, what's happened to her?"

"The creature can camouflage itself!" Abby spoke up again, lifting her head from Connor's arm to look at Jenny, who bit her lip.

"Come on." She said, letting Connor go first with the injured Abby, whilst she kept an eye out around them. A hissing blur darted around them, and suddenly they were trapped as the creature knocked into some stuff that fell and blocked up the doorway. Thankfully, Detective Constable Danny Quinn showed up, and after busting down the door, he also shot the creature which was about to attack Jenny. They all breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

Connor sat Abby down in the open trunk of their company car, sitting next to her. She began talking him through patching up her injury, which turned out ot be not half as bad as they'd feared. He smiled tentatively at her, but Abby was staring off in thought while he applied an antiseptic to the clawmarks in her skin.

"Somethin' on your mind Abbs?" He asked lightly. She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. He tried not to tense up in surprise, and rested his arm around her waist carefully. He didn't see it, but she couldn't help a small, but pleased grin at his reaction.

"Did that scare you?" She asked, and he almost said no but... He shrugged, trying to be nonchalant.

"A little bit. Was afraid you'd been hurt - I w's righ', wasn' I?" His voice had a worried edge to it still, even though the claw marks from the top of her shoulder down to near her underarm weren't deadly.

"And you came to save me... thank you Conn." She told him, tilting her head up and kissing his cheek. He blinked and froze in surprise, and then, when she straightened up again, he kissed her cheek quickly before clearing his throat and turning away.

"So... D'ya want the plaster with dinosaurs on it Abby?" He asked her, glancing over his shoulder. She groaned and swatted at him playfully, and they were both grinning. Something good had come of today, at least.


	6. Chapter 6: Somehow

Disclaimer: I don't own or claim to own Primeval or the characters therin.

AN: woops! forgot to take out the scribble-summary before, but now it's gone :p

* * *

He'd almost frozen to death the first time, in the lab. He'd had no choice. The fungus would've killed him anyway, and then it would've spread all over the place. He'd felt his body shutting down as he curled in on himself against the cold and forced himself to pay attention. It was so cold that he could barely breathe for it, felt the ice in his lungs and on his skin and his hair. He'd kept aware just long enough, the fungus was killed and he'd been rushed out of there and covered in one of those blanket-things. He'd been trembling violently but he'd assured them, he was okay. He would be okay, at least. And then once he'd started to feel better, he knew that he needed to keep moving, and there was still a fungus creature out there .They had found how to kill it, so now he had to set it up in the main ops room. It made the most sense, and they'd lead the thing there. He'd hesitated, torn between going with Abby and Jenny, and going with the others. In the end he chose to stay with Abby.

So now- Abby's gone out to look for a whatever it was they needed in the outer room, and Jenny's near the door. Danny calls her – he knew it was Danny by the tone of her voice. He's bending under tables looking for the thingies - Co2 cannisters. They'll chill out the fungus monster and they can direct it towards this very room where it'll die. He doesn't care very much what they're called, just that they'll get the job done. He's checking the temperature in the room again when Jenny hangs up and she tells him, "The fungus monster's out! It'll be heading here Connor! " He bites his lip.

"We should hurry up and find those cannisters, then- quickly now!" He hears something behind him, swallows hard, and slowly turns around. He freezes in place, though that's a very astute word to use when it's like the Antarctic or arctic or something really cold in here again.

"Jenny? Get out of 'ere. Now." His voice doesn't tremble but Jenny still turns around to look.

"But-" She starts, her voice higher than normal and he knows she's seen it.

"Just go!"

"Okay!" He knows she's out, he hears the sound the doors make when they seal. That's something at least- that she and Abby are out there. Even if he's in here.

He starts to back away from the fungus thing in front of him, slowly so it doesn't swipe at him. It's getting colder, and he shivers, swallowing dryly again. The monster approaches him as he's backing up. He lunges towards the door but stops short as the monster gets in front of him, and he now backs up until his hip bumps into the ADD. The monster flails at him purposefully, and he narrowly avoids it touching him. It's cold now- as cold as his lab was, and Connor doesn't think he's going to be able to stay focused for much longer. He's wearing a jacket over his thin shirt now, but it's not enough. His hands are freezing and going numb. He sees the CO2 canister and grabs it, aiming it at the monster, even as he trips over a wire and goes down. Shaking, he sits up and the thing's so close now. He flinches and sends the burst of cold at the thing. Jenny and Abby have been at the window to the ops room, telling him to hold on, to get out of there now. He's told them not to come in- it'll get them too, then. Danny, Sarah and Becker run up and Abby's had enough of this. He can hear the tension in her voice. Connor silently curses as he hears her open the door and enter. She yells at the thing, trying to attract its attention. He overheard them- the thing's looking for heat, and he's got that, as does Abby, even though his internal temperature is dropping. He can feel it.

"Abby, no!" Connor calls out, forcing the words past freezing lips. he sends a burst of co2 at the thing, and sees Abby doing the same. The monster feints at her and she leaps back- it turns around to face Connor again and, with ice on his eyelashes and frost on his too-pale skin yet again, he knows this is it. He looks at Abby and a tear drops down his cheek. It's frozen solid in seconds. He feels a strange and painful touch to his shoulder and neck even as he passes out from the cold.

"No!"

**...**

It's all dark and the pain is intense. But, as the cold set in deeper, thoughts faded from his mind and the pain dulled. One tiny thread of thought. Is he free from the fungus? Or is it just numbness from the cold? He thinks of Abby - he wishes he could tell her again that he loves her...

Then ice takes hold

**...**

Warmth hits his numbed body very suddenly, air flowing into his lungs and melting the ice that took hold, bringing him rapidly back to life. He hears a beeping and wonders if he's alive. Yes. There's something over his mouth and nose and he dimly thinks it's an oxygen mask. That's right. The cold must have killed the fungus, and then -

Well, he's not dead. Yet even though Connor could hear everyone's relief that he was breathing again, that his heart was beating strongly- he couldn't move.

Even though they'd heated him up quickly he'd almost not made it. He was just glad he could think, though he hoped, prayed in his new silent way, that this inability to move in any way would be only temporary.

"Connor? Connor, wake up please! What's wrong? Why isn't he responding?" Abby's worried voice makes his heart ache. He wants to tell her he's okay, wants to at least squeeze the hand he dimly felt in his. His eyelids twitched- he felt it. Thank goodness!

"Abbs, don' cry, 'm okay." He mumbles, lips feeling as numb as the rest of him. But at least he isn't trapped like that anymore. Connor forces his eyes to open as someone removes the oxygen mask, and sees Abby, her eyes glistening. He forces his muscles to work, and makes his fingers bend and hold Abby's hand in his.

"Oh my gosh!" She leans over him and clings to him, and though the hug is awkward - he's still flat on his back on the table- he feels warm and happy.

"Feel sluggish 'n numb." He says, trying to think, trying to be a little louder than before.

"It's okay- you're alive. It's probably just the cold, that's all."

"Oh? 'N here I was thinkin' I'd just 'ad a bit too much ta drink." He jokes weakly. It wasn't funny in the least, not even up to his regular standards, but the others laugh, breathless and relieved and as Danny and Abby help him sit up slowly, he smiles that they care about him so much, that they'd been that upset by the thought that he might've died.

"I'm bloody freezin'!" He whines a little, pulling the tinfoil-like blanket up over him again, shivering slightly. Abby pulls him in for another hug.

"You are _so _not sleeping here tonight, Conn. Bugger Jack." She breathes into his ear. He smiles wider, hugs her tighter. If he'd had to sleep here... even still he'd have nightmares for days. He didn't know how she'd found out that he hadn't been kipping at a mate's, but it was okay.

"Yes well, that's debatable, as we need to check Mr. Temple for hypothermia..." The medic starts, only stopped by the death-glare Abby sent the man's way.

"I can take care of him. I know how to treat for hypothermia and shock, okay? I keep the flat really warm, anyways, so it's much better than some clinical room in the medic's office, yeah?" She practically growled at the poor guy. Connor can't muster up much sympathy for the man, preferring to cling to Abby's arm. He doesn't know if she's being completely honest, at least in reference to treating humans, but she'd taken care of Rex that time, so she had to have some idea.. And he really wanted to be home again.

"I'd..." His voice is up an octave and not only quiet but rough as well. He swallows, clears his throat, still feeling weak and numb. "I'd like to go home with Abby." He says, trying to sound like he normally does. He probably misses by a mile, but it's understandable.

"I think that's best, right Jordan?" Becker comments, a veiled threat in the tone, as well as amusement and a large amount of relief and worry. The medic pales so that he looked like Connor right now, and then flees. Connor snorts in laughter at that.

"Come on; let's get you to the break room for now Connor- does that work for you? It's warmer and there'll be snacks and hot tea..." Jenny offers. He nods a little, gaze hopeful. Danny glances at the main operations room before 'hmm' ing.

"Becker, Sarah, make sure the one in the freezer van is good and dead, please." Danny tells them. The two nod; though Sarah still looks a little in shock that Connor had nearly died. Understandable, too. He isn't even sure he's up to reacting fully to anything yet, clinging to Abby's arm and staring at the wall for a few seconds before shaking his head slowly and smiling. It's a bit off, but that's understandable too, and they can see he is genuinely happy, it's just he's still in shock himself.

"C'mon."Danny and Abby help Connor stand up and support him as he shakily walks, having to force icy muscles to work.

"Lester will want to know about this... Oh- Connor, is the fungus definitely dead? Sorry, but I need to know." Jenny says, quiet and concerned but he knows it's important.

"Yes- the cold's killed it. Otherwise I'd be dead, yeah?"

"Right. I'll go inform Lester- you get better, alright?"

He nods, and then lets the other two lead him away from the place he'd nearly died. He might have a hard time working at the ADD from now on. But he knew he'd have to get back in there at some point, when he was feeling better. Otherwise he'd be terrified. Like with toilets and Museums, only ten times worse.

The flat he hadn't been able to call home for some time now was the only place he wanted to be right as of this moment. Jack can take the couch, Abby reasoned, and Conn should have the bed in the loft because he'd nearly died. She can't exactly say how he'd gotten a light case of hypothermia, but Jack wasn't so thick that he would argue with Abby about who got what sleeping place.

Connor just settles down on the couch with a small sigh of happiness. He'd not been this comfy in days. His fingers hurt and his cheeks still sting and he is quickly bundled in a couple of blankets when Abby noticed his shivering. Jack had gone out after they'd gotten home, so the flat was relatively quiet. Becker, Abby had said, had caught Sid and Nancy and had put them in a better cage for the night. They'd come home as well in the morning.

Rex lands on his shoulder and nuzzles his cheek, and Connor opens his eyes, smiling at the lizard.

"Hey bud. Missed me?" Rex chirps and takes off, and Abby appears in his peripheral vision. She's standing in the doorway of her room, watching him sit there staring blankly at the TV.

That isn't right. She bites her lip and marches over, takes the remote, grabs a DVD, and pops the disk in. Within moments, the Star Wars theme song begins to play. Connor blinks, jumping a little at both that, and the fact that Abby had sat down and snuggled against him on the couch.

"Abbs?"

"Hmmm? Enjoy the film, Conn." She mumbles, snuggling against him more. He smiles; a shaky but genuine Connor grin. The kind that makes her feel all bubbly inside. He puts an arm across her shoulders and leans back into the couch, tucking his feet, in their bright purple and orange socks, under the blanket.

They watch Star Wars Episode 4 just as they had when Connor had first managed to convince Abby to give it a try; except this time they weren't on opposite sides of the couch, in a different flat that had had him kipping on a different couch. Things were different now. Connor hopes they will continue to be different. He'd nearly died, but he'd heard it, too. When he'd been unable to move, Abby had whispered it softly:

"I love you."

Things were beginning to look up, now.


	7. Chapter 7: Dragons and Demons

_**Dragons and Knights in dented armor**_

"No." The word fell from his lips defiantly, every muscle coiled tightly like a spring and his body shaking very slightly. He was not going to let the knight past him. The Dracorex had done nothing wrong, and Connor knew Abby would do anything to protect the dinosaur. He was not going to let the knight kill the Dracorex or endanger Abby. Sir William DeMornay, that was the bloke's name, but hell if he cared for the man's name! DeMornay had a sword, which he was threatening Connor with, the blade practically in his face. Connor tensed, eyes wide but dark and showing defiance. Jaw clenched, nostrils flared, hands in fists.

He blanched a jolting, terrifying feeling in his gut to match the sharpness of the blade suddenly pressed against his neck. His eyes teared a little and he tried to stand strong. But... There was nothing he could do, and letting the knight run him through with a sword would do no-one any good. The knight would just kill Abby and the Dracorex, then, too. The blade pricked the skin at his neck, and he sucked in a breath at the sharp, pain. Connor swallowed convulsively, shaking a little as he let himself be moved aside with the point of the blade, breathing unsteady and a mix of emotions flashing in his eyes. He was conflicted, the worry and fear and anger and defiance all mixed up - fear, worry, and anger for Abby and the Dracorex, not himself, for the most part. Abby. The Dracorex. Very sharp sword and a knight who didn't care a whit about him and would probably be fine with killing him because apparently they were demons. Apparently a poor, injured Dracorex (well, it could injure people but it was a vegetarian and was just scared and hurt) was a fearsome dragon and apparently this bloke would not give up.

Abby was ready to sacrifice herself to save the Dracorex. Shame and fear for her bubbled in Connor's stomach and his throat closed. He told Becker to shoot DeMornay- who gave a rat's arse if it mucked up time? Abby was the only thing he cared about in that moment.

After Abby, Danny, and Sarah's words Connor hoped DeMornay would see reason and would put the sword down. He was coiled tighter than before, but his feet felt like they were glued to the floor.

_Version 1: Canonically..._

DeMornay does realize, gives up and plunges his sword into a barrel of petrol instead of Abby or the Dracorex. Relief. They send the Knight back through after they sedate the Dracorex and send it off with the SFs to the ARC. And then Connor had some unfinished business to attend to. Abby's idiot brother gambled Rex away, and Connor has enlisted Becker's help to get him back.

_**Version 2: What if De Mornay wasn't convinced?**_

He couldn't just stand there and wait for DeMornay to make up his mind! Connor glanced at Danny and Becker, and then shook his head roughly and quickly darted away, around the flatbed on which the Dracorex lay, to the other side. He screamed Abby's name as he saw DeMornay aiming the sword at her again, and somehow - he hardly remembered, it was a big blur, he had one thing on his mind and that was to protect Abby - he got between her and the blade.

He went pale, choking and groaning at a sharp, intense pain in his right side. He grew dizzy, nausea bubbling up in his stomach and bile rising in his throat, but his vision was blurred and then there was red everywhere. Danny had managed to restrain the Knight and Abby was crouched over him where he now lay on the floor. She was crying, he was bleeding. The sword, bright with his blood, lay a little ways away. His vision blurred and he grabbed onto Abby's wrist in a panic.

"I'm sorry." He said, staring at her. His voice wasn't anywhere as terrified-sounding as he felt. Things were a little dull, the pain was background and things were too bright. He must be in shock, it made sense. He was worried, but he focused on Abby.

"Please be okay, Connor." She cried, stroking his cheek lightly, tears running down her cheeks as his vision blurred again. There was something he needed to say….

"I love you Abby." He said. Everything went black.

When he opened his eyes, he quickly closed them again. The room was bright and it hurt. He shifted, gasping as his attempt to sit up was met with a sharp pain ran that through his right side, along his ribs, like a bolt of electricity. He carefully opened his eyes once more. He was in a hospital room. The scent was sharp and too-clean, the air was slightly chilly. He looked around, a little confused. He didn't quite remember what had happened. He remembered a blazzing, rolling agony in his side, and the Dracorex, and a knight and darts and a woman screaming in his face and telling Abby he loved her... the events were all mixed up and almost out of focus, like a dream you can almost remembe,r in flashes, but it escapes you.

His eyes widened in surprise as he looked to the left. Slumped over in the chair beside his hospital bed was none other than Abby! He was still confused, and his side hurt a hell of lot, but he couldn't help but smile at her. He reached out to touch her shoulder, and gasped again, tears springing to his eyes of their own accord as he miscalculated the distance to her and strained his already throbbing side. Abby abruptly awoke, springing upright and staring at him for a moment. A grin formed on her face, hiding for a moment the exhaustion mixed with tear-stained, mascara-tinted eyelids and cheeks. Sure signs of crying and a lack of sleep. Then she was on her feet and hugging him gently, but as tightly as she could, and he could do nothing but hug her back, breathing in and holding onto her. After a moment that he wanted to go on forever, Abby pulled back, relief on her face.

"I was so afraid..." She cleared her throat and he smiled at her. It was a little shaky. "How do you feel, Conn? Oh, I should probably call a nurse!" Before he could even open his mouth she'd already pulled the cord by the bed. While he absently touched the IV in his wrist and frowned at it, attempting to organize his thoughts.

"Abby?" He croaked. How long had he been out of it if his voice sounded like that?! Before he could say anything more than her name, two nurses entered the room and started fussing over him. He soon realized the uncomfortable feeling in his nose and throat was an oxygen tube - "Precautionary measure", the nurse called it - which was immediately removed.

"Me right side 'urts." His voice was a little stronger now. He reached a hand to touch his side, but Abby pulled his hand back. He looked at her, swallowing dryly.

"Hmm, oh yes, your pain medication's run out during the night. I'll be right back." One of the nurses said, leaving the room.

"How long was I outta it?" He asked the other nurse who was checking the saline drip on the IV. Connor's eyes sought out Abby, and she offered him a smile. It was a lot less shaky than it had been moments ago.

"Since yesterday afternoon."

"Oh." Then he mentally cursed. He'd had a plan to get Rex back for Abby so she wouldn't find out what Jack had done so she wouldn't get upset at her brother. It was important. Maybe there was still time? Unfortunately he couldn't just waltz out of here, probably.

"Okay, Mr. Temple, do you remember what happened to you?"

"Erm... sort of. It's a bit fuzzy..." He looked back at Abby, wondering what the cover story for this was.

"Hm, that's a bit worrying but sometimes that does happen occasionally after trauma. Miss Maitland informed us that you'd been mugged and stabbed. The blade did some damage to your right side, near your ribs. Luckily the blade missed your ribs and anything vital at all. You're very lucky, Mr Temple: for the most part it was relatively minor damage. You've got some bruises and a shallow cut on your neck, as well, though that should heal quickly." After that the other nurse came back in and hooked up new pain meds, and Connor sighed in relief as the sharp little threads of pain from his injury dulled.

"Your wound will take at least a week to fully heal, and the doctor will give you prescriptions for pain meds and antibiotics you should use, but you'll be discharged from the hospital by tomorrow night the latest." The nurse said, smiling at him.

"Okay, Mr. Temple, is there anything else? Any other pains?" The other asked.

"Nope." He said, popping the 'p' with a flash of his normal, charm-your-socks-off (not that he knew it) grin. The nurses smiled.

"He's a keeper." The first nurse stage-whispered to Abby, who flushed. Connor tensed, expecting the normal 'he's not my boyfriend'.

"We're actually not dating." Abby said. He stared at his lap, but he noted that her tone wasn't the same as when she normally said that kind of thing. She seemed amused but maybe there was a hint of 'we're not dating...yet.' in her voice? He looked up and blushed. The nurse was looking at him - and so was Abby! He grinned at the nurse, who was quite pretty, but no Abby, and hid a smirk. He could almost hear Abby's glaring at the other woman. She was jealous!

The nurses left after checking his vitals, blood pressure, and a few more questions, and Abby came over to the bedside again, helping him sit up a little more and fussing with the pillows, adding another one behind him so he could sit up comfortably.

"Do you really not remember, Conn?" Damnit! He had told Abby he loved her yesterday, hadn't he? He panicked a little, and avoided looking into her beautiful blue eyes.

"I remember bits of it but not exactly all of it." He said quietly.

"What parts do you remember?"

"The Dracorex, we were standin' by it and then I was keeping pressure on it." He said.

"And then?"

"Then the knight came in with Sarah... I remember his sword at me throat, nicked me a little... and then he was threatenin' you... Oh! I saved you, that's what 'appened. He was going to run you through with tha' blade of 'is and I got in the way."

"About that- please don't do that again?!"

"I can't promise, Abbs. I... The thought of you getting hurt..."

"Connor, I'd rather not loose you, either, you idiot."

"Yeah, I am a bit o' one, aren't I?" Abby laughed, hugging him again. She moved back a little, looking at him.

"I don't want to sound like a broken record but you did it again."

"What?"

"You said something before you passed out, Connor."

"I-"

"Please, don't deny it?" AT that, he took a deep breath and summoned his courage.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Abbs. I did say… that I... love you, Abby." It wasn't actually as hard to say the words as he'd thought it would, when one of their lives wasn't hanging in the balance. He finally met her eyes, and smiled in relief and joy at what he saw. She kissed his cheek, and he grinned, trying ot pull her closer to hug her even though his side still hurt if he did that.

Four hours later and with a spring in his step and his right arm in a sling and his shoulder bandaged, Connor walked up to Tyler's door and knocked on it. He hid the mischievous grin on his face. Abby hadn't immediately said it back to him, but that was okay. She said she cared about him a lot and that she did like him as more than a friend. She said that it would take time, that there were things stopping her from letting herself love anyone. He said he'd be patient. It was more than he'd hoped for. Now he was putting his plan in action. He'd been released from the hospital and Abby had driven him to Lester's flat. She'd hung around for a little while but left soon after. She'd kissed his cheek again before she'd gone back to the flat. Connor hadn't relaxed for long. He'd called Becker and set it up and now he had a private army, at least temporarily, to use to frighten the kid that was trying to sell Rex to the highest bidder.

He hadn't told Abby that he'd been the one to get Rex back. He liked that it was his little secret. Plus the whole reason he'd done it in the first place. Jack was important to Abby, even if he didn't like her little brother he was Abby's only family and she loved the kid. Connor did not want to ruin that, could not let it happen. He wanted to protect Abby and help her keep her relationship with Jack. He would do anything for her.

They were a lot closer now, though he was still nervous. She kissed his cheek everyone once in a while and they occasionally cuddled and things like that, but it wasn't really different from before. It was actually harder, since he was still living with Lester. He could be patient, but the same negative, self-doubting thoughts filled his mind sometimes, and with his still-healing injury he was feeling a little worthless because Danny made him stay with the anomaly locking mechanism. He was constantly worried about Abby at times like that. Within a week, though, the wound was healed enough for him to go out into the field. That made a much happier Connor - and Abby, as the two worked best as a team.

After the kiss and everything, including Abby's backtracking that she later apologized about, and Jack leaving and then chasing Helen and anomalies and the future and him falling backwards out of the tree and getting knocked unconscious and hurting his ankle on top of the last remnants of pain in his shoulder, they'd gotten stuck in the Cretaceous. Four days in and Connor was a bit worried that they were adopting a routine here. Both he and Abby were worried about the tree situation. They needed to find a better, safer place to live here. Abby was worried about his ankle and he was worried about their relationship. He wanted to ask her, but besides the fact that there was every chance they could be killed in an instant if they got distracted (as they'd learned on that adventure of sorts in Russia, T-rexes were a lot sneakier and quieter than they'd thought), there was also his own mind getting in the way. He kept wimping out on it. Abby knew she had to be the one to bring it up. She had to tell him about her past so he could understand, and maybe they could start to work things out. Because as much as she tried to pretend she didn't, tried to hide it from herself and from him, she knew she loved him as much as he loved her. It was frightening. Love was a gamble, and she wasn't sure she was ready or willing to take that gamble. But then again, it was Connor. He would never hurt her, nearly always thought of her before himself and cared about her more than anyone else ever had. He understood she liked to defend herself and didn't like to be fussed over, but at the same time he could be strong for her if she needed him to. She'd only recently stopped seeing him as the fumbling foolish boy, hardly realized she wasn't the same girl, that had joined the team in those early days. They'd both grown up a lot, and it was startling. To say the least. They were making their way from the tree they'd been calling home to the nearby stream. Connor was leaning heavily on his handmade crutch still, but he was able to move quickly enough. On top of a fractured ankle, he'd sprained his wrist, bruised his ribs, and had had a concussion.

She had plenty of reasons to be worried about him. He seemed to attract danger, but while he always got into danger, he usually didn't actually get injured, per se. At least not badly, as a generalization. He may have been able to move about with his improvised crutch and a wrapping on his ankle, but it was still not a good thing, to be injured in any way in the Cretaceous. Abby tried to pinpoint which injury on him was the most worrying... and found that she couldn't really think that way. Any injury on Connor made her stomach clench and made her want to hold him tight and never let go. Because the world seemed to have fun beating him up, no matter what time they were in.

But at least they were together here. She would take care of Connor and, once he was healed up, he'd be able to take care of her, as well. They needed each other, here. And despite the recent events that had led to them 'sort of dating' for a few weeks now, they hadn't had time to get past each other's walls, and truly be a couple - because she still had her own defenses up, even if Connor had slipped through and was trying to break them down. She knew he had some of his own as well. Maybe this time in the Cretaceous could be put to good use... She just hoped it would be more of a very dangerous semi-vacation for a week or two rather than... indefinite.

"Abbs, come look at this! D'ya think we could eat this berry?" Connor's voice, pitched lower on purpose so it would only carry short distances, broke through her musing, and with a smile - a tinge rueful, but also fond - Abby set off after her boyfriend.


End file.
